Glendale is no different from Los Angeles

In 2001, Former Mayor Frank Quintero approved changing the benefit factor that would allow safety personnel to retire after 30 years of service at age 50 with 90% of their last year of spiked income, rather than maintaining their existing generous 75% of their last year of spiked income at age 55.

Quintero also voted to allow this benefit package to become retroactive to previous retired city employees.

Quintero voted to allow city managers to form their own union (Glendale City Managers Association) in order to collectively garner the most pay and benefits from the taxpayers.

In 2009, the city’s four unions endorsed Quintero with campaign contributions. Quintero continued financial support from the city unions made him one of their best friends on the dais. In order to continue to help finance the unfunded and unsustainable pay and pension benefits of our city workers, he approved the transfer of money from Glendale Water & Power to the General Fund and a $35-million municipal water bond last year.

Columnist Ron Kaye wrote that his city, Los Angeles, “is a shameless city where every elected official is bought and owned by interlocking business and labor interests and the public is disengaged or paralyzed by its powerlessness.”

I guess Kaye never heard of the corrupt public housing company Advanced Development and Investment. The subcontractors of ADI gave our city council members in 2009 thousands of dollars in campaign monies and a condo remodel for one council member. Council members Quintero, Friedman, Najarian and Drayman all approved more than $30 million in public housing projects by ADI.

With the influence of labor unions, corrupt builders and city officials, and the influence of the political action committees of ethnic groups, Glendale is no different from Kaye’s beloved city of Los Angeles.

Mike Mohill
Glendale